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NYFA / Professional Development / Artist as Entrepreneur Program

Artist as Entrepreneur Program

  • An intensive professional development program for artists of all disciplines, ranging from 1 to 3.5 days.
A bearded artist leans over a workbench in a printshop. Using a rubber brayer, he is rolling green and yellow ink onto a hand-carved masonite block.
Image Detail: Ben Eshleman (QAF New Work ’26), 2024. Photo Credit: Bread + Puppet Press
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The NYSCA/NYFA Artist as Entrepreneur Program is an intensive professional development opportunity that serves artists and creatives of all disciplines (including visual, literary, and performing arts, among others). This 3.5 day program delves into the fundamental principles of sustainability in the arts, empowering artists with the tools to imagine and pursue success as they define it.

Whether you’re looking for a shift in thinking, strategies for your arts/creative business, or peer networks, this program provides dynamic planning tools for building a blueprint for your creative practice or arts project.

These programs are made possible through New York State Council on the Arts, State & Local Partnerships with the support of the Governor’s Office and the New York State Legislature. 

Upcoming Programs

Artist as Entrepreneur, CNY Arts

  • Application Closed: May 20, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
  • Program Dates: June 25-28, 2026
  • Notification Date: May 29, 2026

Artist as Entrepreneur, Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts

  • Applications Closed: April 21, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
  • Program Dates: June 4-7, 2026
  • Notification Date: On or before May 5, 2026

Program Highlights
Dive into Content

Dive into topics including strategic planning, marketing, fundraising, financial literacy, writing about your work, and/or art law, with additional material adapted from NYFA’s popular The Profitable Artist (Allworth Press, 2018) textbook.

Participate in Work Sample Reviews

Receive work sample reviews from professionals in their discipline, such as curators and artistic directors. Designed to give artists insight into the jury selection process, this individualized feedback is modeled after NYFA’s Fellowship Program.

Join a Peer Cohort

Gain access to a community of like-minded peers working across disciplines, with opportunities to stay in touch to support each others’ creative practice beyond the program.

Access Arts Industry Experts

Led by NYFA’s expert staff and arts industry experts in your community, such as local funders, curators, presenters, publishers, artistic directors, etc.Applications Close: April 21, 2026, 5:00 PM ET

Develop an Artist Action Plan

Work through flexible and dynamic tools that will provide a blueprint for your practice or specific arts project. You’ll have the opportunity to share and discuss this “Artist Action Plan” among your peers

Engage with Your Creative Community

Customized to fit the needs of participants and partners hosting the program, each program’s structure includes a blend of presentations, panels, interactive workshops, and breakout groups

Want to learn more? Watch our information session recording here.

Interested in hosting the Artist as Entrepreneur program for your creative community? Click here.

From Our Alumni

I am so grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the Artist as Entrepreneur program. I came away from the long weekend of workshops and community feeling proud of my progress as an artist and empowered to chart the path forward for myself. The NYFA facilitators and my cohort of fellow artists were fantastic. I’d highly recommend the program to any artist looking to expand their practice through grants or other funding, promote their art, or build community.

– Rianna Pauline Starheim
Literary and Visual Artist, NYSCA/NYFA Artist as Entrepreneur, Roxbury Arts Group (2025)

This was the most compact and directly applicable artistic professional development that I have been a part of! It was amazing to have the opportunity to meet other creatives in my area, including those from my cohort, the panelists, and the portfolio reviewers. The program is thoughtfully designed and brings support and invigoration to artists! I greatly appreciated the NYFA program leaders and their positive and uplifting attitudes throughout the program, and their ability to speak from their personal artistic and arts administrative perspectives.

– Emma Hendrick
Musician, NYSCA/NYFA Artist as Entrepreneur, Genesee Valley Arts Council (2025)

NYFA Professional Development Programs

NYSCA/NYFA Community Arts Leaders Program
The Incubator for Executive Leaders of Color
Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program
Emerging Leaders Program
See all programs
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